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Soundcore Flare Wireless Speaker by Anker, Waterproof Party Speaker with 360° Sound, Enhanced Bass & Ambient LED Light, IP67 Waterproof and 12-Hour Battery Life-Black
Brand | Soundcore |
Model Name | Soundcore Flare |
Speaker Type | Outdoor |
Connectivity Technology | Bluetooth |
Special Feature | Portable |
About this item
- BREATHTAKING BASS: With BassUP Technology a customized digital signal processor first analyzes, then enhances your music's bass frequencies in real time. This audio signal is then turned into intensified sound via state-of-the-art neodymium drivers.
- SOUND AND LIGHT IN HARMONY: Watch a halo of LEDs phase, pulse, and shine with the rhythm of your music for a completely immersive audiovisual experience from a portable speaker. 5 customizable modes tailor the atmosphere to suit your mood.
- DOUBLE THE POWER: Connect 2 Flare speakers via a single Bluetooth device. Go stereo for an expansive listening experience that puts you all center-stage, or go into boost mode and double the power for an intense hit of light and sound.
- POOL PARTY PROOF: No matter where the music needs to be, Flare is suited up and ready. Super-safe IP67 waterproof protection effortlessly withstands dust, spills, rain, and even complete submersion in water.
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PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)
Climate neutral by ClimatePartner certifies the carbon footprint of a product was calculated and all associated emissions were offset.
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- Climate Pledge FriendlyProducts with trusted sustainability certification(s). Learn more
PRODUCT CERTIFICATION (1)
Pre-owned Certified: Electronics products are inspected, cleaned and (if applicable) repaired to excellent functional standards. Buying Pre-owned extends a product's life, reducing e-waste and raw material extraction.
From the brand
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soundcore creates audio products that spark emotions through music.
Amplify your listening experience with true wireless earbuds, over-ear headphones, audio glasses, and Bluetooth speakers.
soundcore is now available in more than 50 countries, has over 20 million users, 181 licensed patents, and many exclusive technologies such as ACAA.
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This Item Soundcore Flare Wireless Speaker by Anker, Waterproof Party Speaker with 360° Sound, Enhanced Bass & Ambient LED Light, IP67 Waterproof and 12-Hour Battery Life-Black | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | Currently unavailable. | $99.99$99.99 | -20% $63.99$63.99 List: $79.99 | $50.99$50.99 | -9% $99.99$99.99 List: $109.99 | $179.99$179.99 |
Delivery | — | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 26 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 26 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 26 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 26 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 26 |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Portability | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.7 |
Sound quality | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.7 |
Battery life | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 |
Value for money | 4.6 | — | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
Bluetooth connectivity | — | — | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
Sold By | — | AnkerDirect | AnkerDirect | AnkerDirect | AnkerDirect | AnkerDirect |
speaker size | 15.24 centimeters | 2.5 inches | — | 1.5 inches | 20 centimeters | 16 inches |
power source | Battery Powered | Corded Electric | Built-in Battery | Battery Powered | Battery Powered | Battery Powered |
connectivity tech | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | Bluetooth | wireless, wired | Bluetooth | Auxiliary, Bluetooth |
speaker type | Outdoor | Bluetooth Speaker | Portable High Fidelity Speaker | Outdoor | Outdoor | Outdoor |
mounting type | Freestanding | Table Top | Tabletop | Tabletop | Freestanding | Handlebar Mount |
weight | 1.17 pounds | — | 1.98 pounds | 0.82 pounds | — | 5.03 pounds |
Product guides and documents
What's in the box
Videos
Videos for this product
1:01
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Customer Review: Bass boost bogus but good speaker
Kobe Michael Ahrens
Videos for this product
0:23
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Customer Review: Speaker blew at not even full volume.
M. Lee
Videos for this product
0:30
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Customer Review: Great sound for the price if you buy a pair!
This Guy
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 3.6 x 3.6 x 6 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 1.17 pounds |
ASIN | B07BHP4W36 |
Item model number | AK-A3161011 |
Batteries | 1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included) |
Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #149,852 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics) #3,350 in Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Date First Available | March 9, 2018 |
Manufacturer | Fantasia Trading LLC |
Speakers Maximum Output Power | 12 Watts |
Item Weight | 1.17 Pounds |
Number Of Items | 1 |
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Product Description
Soundcore | Hear It. Feel It.
Model number: A3161
A Brand Under Anker Innovations
360° Sound
Give everyone in the room stage-side passes; Flare powers intense 360° sound via back-to-back full-range drivers and thumping bass radiators.
BassUp Technology
A customized digital signal processor first analyzes, then enhances your music's bass frequencies in real time. This audio signal is then turned into intensified sound via state-of-the-art neodymium drivers. Just press the BassUp button and prepare yourself for power.
Beat-Driven Light Show
Watch a halo of LEDs phase, pulse, and shine with the rhythm of your music for a completely immersive audiovisual experience. 5 customizable modes elevate the atmosphere of any event or setting.
Soundcore App
Flare is the first speaker to utilize the all-new Soundcore app; simple-but-powerful software that allows complete customization of Flare's sound and lights via smartphone or tablet.
Pool Party Proof
No matter where the music needs to be, Flare is suited up and ready. Super-safe IPX7 protection effortlessly withstands spills, rain, and even complete submersion in water. *We do not recommend partying underwater without breathing apparatus.
Beat Goes On & On & On
Soundcore's Anker heritage offers world-renowned power management technology. Enjoy almost 250 songs from a single charge and make sure the party never ends early—if you can keep dancing Flare can keep playing.
*Note: For optimal performance in Wireless Stereo Mode, position speakers within 16 ft (5 m) of each other indoors, or 48 ft (15 m) in open spaces.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the sound quality, value, and quality of the speakers. For example, they mention that it's a phenomenal speaker for the price, well-made, and works well. Some are happy with ease of use, weight, and appearance. Opinions are mixed on battery life.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the sound quality of the speakers. They say it's a pretty good speaker that can fill a room without trouble. They also appreciate the true stereo and 360-degree sound projection. The speakers sync and go into stereo mode automatically.
"...This is more than loud enough for most contexts in which I'd imagine people using it - you could probably use it to facilitate a tiny dance party if..." Read more
"...The sound is great, and can fill a room without trouble...." Read more
"...For two small, portable speakers, they sound amazing, and have a very nice, premium quality feel and design to them. They really do sound amazing...." Read more
"...It was quite fun. Also of note, the sound was still clear even when the volume was low so we could just chat and hang out. Quite perfect...." Read more
Customers appreciate the value of the speakers. They mention it's a phenomenal speaker for the price point, and worth the purchase. Customers also appreciate the reasonable price to performance ratio.
"...hundreds of dollars on a single speaker unit, these are amazing for what you pay for." Read more
"...Pros: Really good price to performance ratio. For around $40 this speaker sounds really good...." Read more
"...I would say these are still worth the purchase as they are great but it is important to know their drawbacks as well...." Read more
"...me use them and recommending them daily... Overall, the speakers are OK for the price. Audiophiles may not find that these meet your needs...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the quality of the speaker. They mention that it's well-made, built like a tank, and has strong mids, good highs, and average bass. The fabric wrapping it feels very premium and it has a comfortable heft. Overall, most are happy with the performance of the product and its quality.
"...But this speaker puts out strong sound for a long time. Its pretty durable and I like that it stands erect rather than horizontal as it takes up..." Read more
"...portable speakers, they sound amazing, and have a very nice, premium quality feel and design to them. They really do sound amazing...." Read more
"...On top of that, the speaker is durable and quite portable...." Read more
"...They have suffered numerous drops onto hard surfaces and have not broken yet (I’m gonna try to stop dropping them anyways)...." Read more
Customers like the performance of the speakers. They say it works well, sounds good, and holds a battery charge. Some customers say it projects well and works best high up. They are also pleased with the performance and the downloaded app.
"...Overall, the app is limited, simple, still useful, and very user-friendly...I can see them building this out as they grow Soundcore as a product..." Read more
"...but they work great, and the ring lighted base that strobes to the beat is pretty cool. It can be turned off, by the way...." Read more
"...Charge the battery and turn it on and it doesn’t work. I’ve replaced the battery 2 times and still no luck...." Read more
"...I bought these to use at work, and for my purpose, they work excellently. Turn them on, set them up, and play some music as I work...." Read more
Customers find the speakers easy to use. They say it's intuitive to connect, pairs effortlessly, and remembers each other. The app is great and allows for easy setup of a stereo pair or of two mono speakers. Customers also mention that the setup was painless.
"...product, this won't surprise you - build quality and user experience are both exceptional - bluetooth connected to my pixel 2 as soon as I turned..." Read more
"...All the controls are on the top of the unit and we have had no connection issues at all...." Read more
"...They support wireless stereo, allowing for quick and easy pairing of two speakers...." Read more
"...As a technical individual, it was fairly quick and easy, but for someone without a technical background, it might have been very frustrating...." Read more
Customers like the weight of the speaker. They say it is very portable, light enough to toss in a weekend bag, and takes up less footprint on a table. They also say it's a great portable speaker and when you consider its price. The unit is compact and has excellent sound.
"...SOUND QUALITY/360 EFFECT: really great for a portable speaker - not as good as the SONOS one, but not miles off either...." Read more
"...I like that it stands erect rather than horizontal as it takes up less footprint on a table...." Read more
"...For two small, portable speakers, they sound amazing, and have a very nice, premium quality feel and design to them. They really do sound amazing...." Read more
"...Easy to lug around. The speaker is easy to transport – i.e. carry around. It fits well in my hand...." Read more
Customers are satisfied with the appearance of the speakers. They mention that the LEDs on the bottom look quite nice, the speaker is nicely designed, and the fabric covering is attractive. They like the mono-color design, which is pleasing and low profile. Customers also like the shape, saying it looks great anywhere. Overall, customers are happy with the product's appearance and recommend it to others.
"...For this speaker's size, it's pretty darn impressive - easily something you could carry around with you in a messenger bag or backpack if you were..." Read more
"...but they work great, and the ring lighted base that strobes to the beat is pretty cool. It can be turned off, by the way...." Read more
"...For two small, portable speakers, they sound amazing, and have a very nice, premium quality feel and design to them. They really do sound amazing...." Read more
"...I decided to try the Soundcore Flare instead. It looked cool, with unique features of mood lighting, waterproof housing, and the ability to connect..." Read more
Customers are mixed about the battery life of the speakers. Some mention that it lasts a nice amount of time, while others say that it failed or the on/off button failed. The advertised battery life is not accurate, and the power would not stay on.
"...to keep in mind that this is a portable bluetooth speaker with long battery-life and a much smaller footprint than the SONOS one..." Read more
"...This has a good weight to it and I expect these to last a long time...." Read more
"...My only issue with it is it’s inability to hold a charge. Plugged into the wall, it works just fine...." Read more
"...Bingo! This scores in every way.At 12 watts the power is fine for a small-medium sized room...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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BUILD QUALITY AND USER EXPERIENCE: if you've ever owned an Anker product, this won't surprise you - build quality and user experience are both exceptional - bluetooth connected to my pixel 2 as soon as I turned it on, and has ever since (no issues); the fabric is the same quality you'd find on any of the other popular speakers right now (amazon's or google's); the light on the base is cool without being tacky (I was a little worried about this), and it can be turned off if you like - primary color settings are: oranges/yellows (chill), greens/blues (spring), and mixed (party) - using the soundcore flare app allows you to sync the light to the music (which is pretty cool - more on the app later). The Flare isn't quite as durable (I'm guessing) as the Soundcore 2 - if I was focused strictly on durability (not necessarily 'build quality') and portability, not as much on volume and sound quality, the Soundcore 2 would be a better option (and that's not to knock the Soundcore 2's volume or clarity, it's just not where the Flare's is - more on that later).
PORTABILITY and BATTERY: I've attached pics to highlight how portable this is (imagine a slightly tall/fat soda can), this is slightly less portable than the Anker Soundcore 2, and obviously far more portable than the Sonos One (not portable). For this speaker's size, it's pretty darn impressive - easily something you could carry around with you in a messenger bag or backpack if you were doing a day-trip somewhere, or wanted a great speaker to take on vacation with you (granted, much bigger than earbuds, but it does fill a room with sound). I haven't stretched the battery yet, but this is an area that Anker has always excelled in (I'm assuming that having the light on, and bass-boost on will impact it, but I'm sure it'll still be as good - or better than - as advertised) I do not anticipate that this will get the kind of battery life the Soundcore 2 gets, due to the elements already mentioned which the Soundcore 2 doesn't have to manage.
VOLUME: very impressive for its size - I tested it in a room that is about 375 square feet, with vaulted ceilings, and it got LOUD when I turned it up - at 50% volume it was solid from a volume standpoint for that same room. The Bass-Boost button DOES make a difference in the bass put out by this thing, and the bass is pretty impressive for a speaker this size. Testing the Soundcore 2 in the same room as this device (the flare), you can notice a difference in both the volume and the base, which isn't enormous but it is significant enough to be noticeable (this was playing them at 50% volume, and became more noticeable at full volume). Again, this isn't a knock on the Soundcore 2, which also filled the room easily and got LOUD when at full volume - the Flare was just noticeably louder. Anker said it was bringing a new Bass technology to these speakers, and they clearly delivered (that's where the biggest difference between this and the Soundcore 2 can be heard). If I'm being fair, the volume and the bass on this is a ways off of the SONOS one - but again, you have to keep in mind that this is a portable bluetooth speaker with long battery-life and a much smaller footprint than the SONOS one (and at less than half the price of the older model, and about 1/4 the price of the newest SONOS one). At 100% volume, there is almost no distortion out of this speaker (even when it's managing multiple components of a track simultaneously...bass, acoustics, and vocals) - at 90% there's no distortion. This is more than loud enough for most contexts in which I'd imagine people using it - you could probably use it to facilitate a tiny dance party if you really wanted (and if you paired it with a second one - which you can do - it'd serve that purpose well). If you were having a gathering of 20 people in a 400 square foot room with vaulted ceilings, this would more than serve admirably as the music outlet.
SOUND QUALITY/360 EFFECT: really great for a portable speaker - not as good as the SONOS one, but not miles off either. I wouldn't call myself an audiophile, but I do like listening to music and I do like it when it sounds nice - this speaker sounds nice. The sound quality is slightly better than the Soundcore 2's (the bass is the most pronounced upgrade from the Soundcore 2), and the sound quality is noticeably better at higher volumes (again, not a knock against the Soundcore 2, which also has decent sound quality). I would have no problem with having this is my primary speaker for my home, from a sound quality and volume standpoint. THE 360 EFFECT: this does project music in all directions - I walked around it constantly, attempting to ID a 'blind-spot' from a projection standpoint, and couldn't find one - this makes it uniquely useful for certain purposes, and is a positive differentiator from the SONOS one and the Soundcore 2. If you want a speaker system for your patio, but don't want to invest in a ton of wiring, two of these would fill the largest patio/deck with quality music (they're also IPX7 water resistant - I never test that stuff, but I trust Anker not to market it if it's not legit).
APP: clean, minimalist, not too elaborate in what it can an can't do (I can see them building this out with time, but for now it's pretty straightforward/bare bones). You can control the base's light from the app (which I found myself more amused by than I thought I would be); You can pair an additional Soundcore Flare (which I didn't have to do, but trust Anker to make as easy as everything else they do); you can adjust the volume; and you can use their wave equalizer to turn the Bass-Up feature on or off, and select different listening settings (Default, Voice, Flat, and Chill). Overall, the app is limited, simple, still useful, and very user-friendly...I can see them building this out as they grow Soundcore as a product line.
SPEAKERPHONE: I didn't test this extensively, when I made a call with it everything went fine - not a great tool for speaker phone use but not worse than most bluetooth speakers. I wouldn't get this for it's speakerphone functionality (or any other bluetooth speaker - smartphones are usually just as capable speakerphones on their own). NOTE: this can become a smart-speaker if you pair it with an echo dot or google's home (I think) - I don't like the idea of smart-speakers in my home, but it should be acknowledged that this has that functionality when paired with the appropriate hardware.
CONCLUSION: overall, this is an awesome bluetooth speaker. The volume, bass, and sound quality is superior to the Soundcore 2 (which is already great); this isn't quite as portable as the Soundcore 2, or quite as durable (but it's close), and I don't expect the battery life to be quite as strong. If portability, durability, and battery life are most important to you - saving $20.00 by going with the Soundcore 2 is probably your best bet (again - it is still a really great speaker); if volume, bass, aesthetics (the flare is prettier), and sound quality are most important - this does offer a noticeable upgrade to the Soundcore 2 in all those areas. When compared to the SONOS one, this is truly a different product with a noticeable gap between it and the SONOS when it comes to volume, bass, and sound clarity/quality...but for a fraction of the price, I'd take a hard look at this if you think it'll meet your specific needs (its 360 degree music dispersal, and portability are particularly useful features that the SONOS one doesn't have). I also like that this speaker doesn't 'require' an app to use it (whereas the SONOS does) - the app for the flare is nice, but I could still have a friend connect to it and stream their music without having to have them download the SONOS app to do it. The SONOS one was a gift to me (and I do love it)...if I were spending my own $ on a speaker to listen to music on, 9 times out of 10 the Flare would likely be the one I'd go with (save $100 or more - spend that on a second Flare and still save approx $50.00). The 1/10 scenario in which I'd go with the SONOS: if I was getting it as a dedicated home stereo speaker/system, that was never going to leave wherever I placed it in my home...even then, I don't know how two of these Flares (paired to stereo mode) might compare to one SONOS one serving the same function.
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2018
BUILD QUALITY AND USER EXPERIENCE: if you've ever owned an Anker product, this won't surprise you - build quality and user experience are both exceptional - bluetooth connected to my pixel 2 as soon as I turned it on, and has ever since (no issues); the fabric is the same quality you'd find on any of the other popular speakers right now (amazon's or google's); the light on the base is cool without being tacky (I was a little worried about this), and it can be turned off if you like - primary color settings are: oranges/yellows (chill), greens/blues (spring), and mixed (party) - using the soundcore flare app allows you to sync the light to the music (which is pretty cool - more on the app later). The Flare isn't quite as durable (I'm guessing) as the Soundcore 2 - if I was focused strictly on durability (not necessarily 'build quality') and portability, not as much on volume and sound quality, the Soundcore 2 would be a better option (and that's not to knock the Soundcore 2's volume or clarity, it's just not where the Flare's is - more on that later).
PORTABILITY and BATTERY: I've attached pics to highlight how portable this is (imagine a slightly tall/fat soda can), this is slightly less portable than the Anker Soundcore 2, and obviously far more portable than the Sonos One (not portable). For this speaker's size, it's pretty darn impressive - easily something you could carry around with you in a messenger bag or backpack if you were doing a day-trip somewhere, or wanted a great speaker to take on vacation with you (granted, much bigger than earbuds, but it does fill a room with sound). I haven't stretched the battery yet, but this is an area that Anker has always excelled in (I'm assuming that having the light on, and bass-boost on will impact it, but I'm sure it'll still be as good - or better than - as advertised) I do not anticipate that this will get the kind of battery life the Soundcore 2 gets, due to the elements already mentioned which the Soundcore 2 doesn't have to manage.
VOLUME: very impressive for its size - I tested it in a room that is about 375 square feet, with vaulted ceilings, and it got LOUD when I turned it up - at 50% volume it was solid from a volume standpoint for that same room. The Bass-Boost button DOES make a difference in the bass put out by this thing, and the bass is pretty impressive for a speaker this size. Testing the Soundcore 2 in the same room as this device (the flare), you can notice a difference in both the volume and the base, which isn't enormous but it is significant enough to be noticeable (this was playing them at 50% volume, and became more noticeable at full volume). Again, this isn't a knock on the Soundcore 2, which also filled the room easily and got LOUD when at full volume - the Flare was just noticeably louder. Anker said it was bringing a new Bass technology to these speakers, and they clearly delivered (that's where the biggest difference between this and the Soundcore 2 can be heard). If I'm being fair, the volume and the bass on this is a ways off of the SONOS one - but again, you have to keep in mind that this is a portable bluetooth speaker with long battery-life and a much smaller footprint than the SONOS one (and at less than half the price of the older model, and about 1/4 the price of the newest SONOS one). At 100% volume, there is almost no distortion out of this speaker (even when it's managing multiple components of a track simultaneously...bass, acoustics, and vocals) - at 90% there's no distortion. This is more than loud enough for most contexts in which I'd imagine people using it - you could probably use it to facilitate a tiny dance party if you really wanted (and if you paired it with a second one - which you can do - it'd serve that purpose well). If you were having a gathering of 20 people in a 400 square foot room with vaulted ceilings, this would more than serve admirably as the music outlet.
SOUND QUALITY/360 EFFECT: really great for a portable speaker - not as good as the SONOS one, but not miles off either. I wouldn't call myself an audiophile, but I do like listening to music and I do like it when it sounds nice - this speaker sounds nice. The sound quality is slightly better than the Soundcore 2's (the bass is the most pronounced upgrade from the Soundcore 2), and the sound quality is noticeably better at higher volumes (again, not a knock against the Soundcore 2, which also has decent sound quality). I would have no problem with having this is my primary speaker for my home, from a sound quality and volume standpoint. THE 360 EFFECT: this does project music in all directions - I walked around it constantly, attempting to ID a 'blind-spot' from a projection standpoint, and couldn't find one - this makes it uniquely useful for certain purposes, and is a positive differentiator from the SONOS one and the Soundcore 2. If you want a speaker system for your patio, but don't want to invest in a ton of wiring, two of these would fill the largest patio/deck with quality music (they're also IPX7 water resistant - I never test that stuff, but I trust Anker not to market it if it's not legit).
APP: clean, minimalist, not too elaborate in what it can an can't do (I can see them building this out with time, but for now it's pretty straightforward/bare bones). You can control the base's light from the app (which I found myself more amused by than I thought I would be); You can pair an additional Soundcore Flare (which I didn't have to do, but trust Anker to make as easy as everything else they do); you can adjust the volume; and you can use their wave equalizer to turn the Bass-Up feature on or off, and select different listening settings (Default, Voice, Flat, and Chill). Overall, the app is limited, simple, still useful, and very user-friendly...I can see them building this out as they grow Soundcore as a product line.
SPEAKERPHONE: I didn't test this extensively, when I made a call with it everything went fine - not a great tool for speaker phone use but not worse than most bluetooth speakers. I wouldn't get this for it's speakerphone functionality (or any other bluetooth speaker - smartphones are usually just as capable speakerphones on their own). NOTE: this can become a smart-speaker if you pair it with an echo dot or google's home (I think) - I don't like the idea of smart-speakers in my home, but it should be acknowledged that this has that functionality when paired with the appropriate hardware.
CONCLUSION: overall, this is an awesome bluetooth speaker. The volume, bass, and sound quality is superior to the Soundcore 2 (which is already great); this isn't quite as portable as the Soundcore 2, or quite as durable (but it's close), and I don't expect the battery life to be quite as strong. If portability, durability, and battery life are most important to you - saving $20.00 by going with the Soundcore 2 is probably your best bet (again - it is still a really great speaker); if volume, bass, aesthetics (the flare is prettier), and sound quality are most important - this does offer a noticeable upgrade to the Soundcore 2 in all those areas. When compared to the SONOS one, this is truly a different product with a noticeable gap between it and the SONOS when it comes to volume, bass, and sound clarity/quality...but for a fraction of the price, I'd take a hard look at this if you think it'll meet your specific needs (its 360 degree music dispersal, and portability are particularly useful features that the SONOS one doesn't have). I also like that this speaker doesn't 'require' an app to use it (whereas the SONOS does) - the app for the flare is nice, but I could still have a friend connect to it and stream their music without having to have them download the SONOS app to do it. The SONOS one was a gift to me (and I do love it)...if I were spending my own $ on a speaker to listen to music on, 9 times out of 10 the Flare would likely be the one I'd go with (save $100 or more - spend that on a second Flare and still save approx $50.00). The 1/10 scenario in which I'd go with the SONOS: if I was getting it as a dedicated home stereo speaker/system, that was never going to leave wherever I placed it in my home...even then, I don't know how two of these Flares (paired to stereo mode) might compare to one SONOS one serving the same function.
Initially I was just worried that they wouldn't be up to expectations. But after using them, they greatly exceed my original expectations. For two small, portable speakers, they sound amazing, and have a very nice, premium quality feel and design to them. They really do sound amazing. They have amazing clarity and bass, nothing muddled or anything that sounds scratchy. And they can get really loud for their size, too. I bought these to use at work, and for my purpose, they work excellently. Turn them on, set them up, and play some music as I work. And at $62, the price is excellent. Against something like a Sony SRS-XB32 (of which I used previously, and was beaten up and getting a little old), two of these in combination sound a lot better.
Overall, I would most certainly recommend these speakers for anyone looking for something of really good quality for a really good price. There are better speakers out there of course, but unless you are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on a single speaker unit, these are amazing for what you pay for.
Top reviews from other countries
I use it with lap or desktop computers for classes, entertainment, etc. It might take a little longer to pair with some devices than I'd like, and I used to have to fuss with settings, but otherwise it's a strong and fast connection. Of course you can also pause what's going on on the computer with the pause setting on the speaker which can be handy for video classes.
Since it's light and has bluetooth I can carry it around even if I have to leave the desk-top computer behind a room away. I love the 360 sound when I walk around the kitchen too and can still hear everything clearly.
I use it for hours every day and it's running fine after 3 (I think) years now, and charges sufficiently within an hour or 2 which I do about every 2nd or 3rd day.
Sound quality is quite decent, like most speakers this size. It's clear and not tinny. I use the "bass boost" much of the time.
I haven't had to use it's floating ability but have been glad that it is water proof when I spilled a drink.
It has very sturdy and pleasant surfaces. The volume symbols (part of the control package on the top of the device) are not visually clear because they are raised plus and minus marks but it's not hard to find them by feeling
Not a fan of the available flashing lights but I just don't use them.
Cons:
1. The buttons are quite difficult to press - I have grown used to it but if you have any difficulties in that regard I would be cautious.
2. Having the lights on significantly reduces the battery life - I usually have them off. Also worth mentioning that the lights aren't really bright enough to be the only light source in a room, although that's not a problem.
3. Even the quietest volume on the speaker is not that quiet - I find with music or podcasts it's too loud for me to sleep to when on my bedside table. But maybe this can be rectified by placing it further away from me.
Overall I am quite happy with this speaker, I use it all the time at home! I got it on a black Friday deal so it was about £40 and I thought that was really good value for money for what it is. That said I've never had another Bluetooth speaker so I have no basis for comparison.